Monday, August 22, 2011

Great progress being made

KELAB Golf Perkhidmatan Awam (KGPA) has reasons to be optimistic of producing champions in the near future.

The PGPA junior development programme chief coach Rajah Kelly said the main reason for their confidence was the excellent progress the trainees have made.

“We are on the right track. Our trainees are making inroads in the junior circuit. We are convinced of grooming the current trainees.

“The trainees are showing a lot of enthusiasm. They should be able to make an impact in the coming years,’’ said Rajah Kelly.

The KGPA is also working closely with the Kuala Lumpur Golf Association (KLGA) to realise its vision.

The KLGA has also reasons to look at the programme for young players. The programme has provided the KLGA players for national competitions including the Malaysia Games.

For the new season, the KGPA management has decided to identify a group of potential juniors for a long term training programme.

The selected players will have the privilege to attend an intensive training programme as well as play in amateur competitions.

The KGPA junior development programme has 100 trainees, aged from four to 21, attending training on weekends.

Rajah Kelly has three assistants – Mohamad Rabanni, Gunaselan Saman and Farhan Shariff Yasin – going through the basics. However the trainees have the privilege to train at the driving range as well as attend training during school holidays.

The programme, initiated about 11 years ago, has been a breeding ground for several budding juniors. Farhan was a product of the programme and has become the club champion.

Another young trainee Adam Arif Madzri, who is 10 years, has been a regular winner in the SportExcel junior golf circuit.

Some of the trainees have graduated to earn a living as professionals.

Rajah Kelly said trainees are divided into groups and training was focused on basic skills.

“The trainees will be taught every part of swings involved in golf. We also expect all the trainees to be disciplined and the desire to learn.

“They will have to go through a physical training session before their golf lessons.

“We want all the trainees to excel in golf,’’ said Rajah Kelly.

The programme caters for juniors who cannot afford to be members of golf clubs.

The programme also enjoys excellent support from parents. Some of them come from as far Putrajaya and Bangi.

“We have made it affordable to the trainees.

The presence of parents is encouraging and shows their commitment towards their children. We welcome their active participation in the programme,’’ added Rajah Kelly.


Saturday, August 20, 2011

4TH LEG SPORTEXCEL M'SIAN PREMIER-ELITE JUNIOR GOLF CIRCUIT 2011


The 4th. Leg of the PREMIER–ELITE will be held as follows :-

Date : Friday, 02.09.2011.
Time : From 12.00 noon.
Venue : “The Lakes”, Kelab Rahman Putra Malaysia (KRPM).
Mode : Buggies.
Payment : RM 50.00 inclusive of buggies.


A RULE / ETIQUETTE SEMINAR has been planned before the tee–off on Friday. Attendance is compulsory. Those who do not attend the seminar will be suspended from playing in the Elite.

Date : Friday, 02.09.2011.
Time : 9.30 a.m.
Venue : The Board Room, Kelab Rahman Putra Malaysia (KRPM).
Mode : Lunch will be provided.

A high–tea prize–presentation will be held for the participants after the Elite, and trophies / medals (1st., 2nd., 3rd., 4th.) will be awarded for each category.

Please confirm by calling (03–20315359) of fax (03–20315358) us on or before 24th September 2011. Any withdrawal must be notified at least 5 days before the Competition (in view of the long holidays), or a penalty of RM 50.00 will be imposed.

If we do not hear from you on or before the 24th August, we would assume that you will not be participating.

We would expect you to co–operate with us and display exemplary qualities as expected of a SportExcel’s junior when you are a guest of the Hosting Club. Proper dress attire must be observed at all times.

I look forward to seeing you at Kelab Rahman Putra Malaysia (KPRM).

Meantime, ‘Happy golfing!’


Yours sincerely,
SPORTEXCEL


TENG MUI NGEE
Co–ordinator, SportExcel’s Junior Golf

THE SCHEDULE

01. Date : Friday, 02.09.2011.
Time : 9.30 a.m … Rule / Etiquette Seminar (Compulsory).
11.15 a.m … Lunch for All Participants.
12.00 p.m … Tee–Off 4th. Premier–Elite.
5.45 p.m … Prize–Presentation “High–Tea”.

02. Date : Saturday, 03.09.2011.
Time : 7.30 a.m … Matchplay begins.
12.30 p.m … Matchplay continues (Quarter–Finals).

03. Date : Sunday, 04.09.2011.
Time : 7.30 a.m … Matchplay continues (Semi–Finals).
12.30 p.m … Matchplay continues (Finals).
5.00 p.m … Prize–Presentation “High–Tea”.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Singapore deny Myanmar a double


Singapore's Jerome Ng (left) and Marc Ong pose with the Etiqa ASEAN Cup trophy / © The ClubHouse

Kuala Lumpur: Following in the footsteps of their professional compatriots, Singapore’s amateurs Jerome Ng and Marc Ong stuck to their game plans to lift the Etiqa ASEAN Cup at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club today.

Just days after Mardan Mamat and Lam Chih Bing combined superbly to qualify for the Omega Mission Hills World Cup at Seri Selangor Golf Club, the much younger pairing of Ng and Ong carded a final round best of three-over 75 at the West Course for a four-day total of 290 to beat defending champions Myanmar by four strokes.

Starting the final round three shots behind the overnight leaders, the Myanmar pair of Myo Win Aung and Maung Maung Oo got off to a great start with a string of birdies and an eagle to overhaul the Lions’ but twice found water on the 15th to allow Singapore to regain their lead and take the title comfortably. Myanmar finished on 76 for a 294 total.

“It’s been worthwhile for us and it’s always nice to play in a different format and winning. We had a relatively stress-free week here and we didn’t put unnecessary pressure on ourselves. We strive on playing competitive golf and despite the fact that we don’t play this format (fourball and foursomes) often, the strong camaraderie within our team helped us to do well,” said the 21-year-old Jerome, who won the Negeri Sembilan Amateur Open in May and finished second in the 64th Singapore Amateur Open last week.

His partner Marc concurred citing a safety first approach as contributing factor to their victory. “We played well and knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses definitely helped. It was vital for us not to get each other into much trouble during the alternate shot rounds and we did just that,” shared Marc.

Malaysia, represented by Etiqa Malaysia Cup champions Kenneth Christian de Silva and Tan Wei Chean finished nine strokes behind the winners in third. Despite firing two birdies, the duo dropped eight strokes for a round of six-over-par 78 and a tournament total of 299.

“We played aggressively, attacking the pins where possible, especially on the first nine. But when the Singaporeans took the lead yesterday, the title was effectively theirs to lose,” said Wei Chean.

ASEAN Golf Federation secretary general Datuk Zain Mohd Yusof expressed his hope that the future editions of the events will be fully subscribed by all 10 ASEAN nations. “This tournament is about giving the young golfing talents in the a platform to hone their games against their ASEAN counterparts. I appeal to the other member nations to send their teams for next year’s event,” he said during the prize presentation.

Final round scores
290 Singapore (69-77-69-75)
294 Myanmar (68-78-72-76)
299 Malaysia (73-79-69-78)
303 Thailand (71-78-72-82)
307 Philippines (79-79-70-79)
324 Cambodia (74-85-73-92)


Link : http://www.theclubhouse.com.my/2011/08/singapore-deny-myanmar-a-double/

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Malaysians miss out on World Cup ticket by one spot


We did it: Singaporeans Lam Chih Bing (left) and Mardan Mamat celebrating their qualification as one of the top three teams during the final round of the World Cup Asian Qualifying event at the Seri Selangor Golf Club in Petaling Jaya yesterday. — AFP


PETALING JAYA: Malaysia suffered a final day heartbreak when they again failed to make the cut for the Omega Mission Hills World Cup Finals after finishing joint fourth with the Philippines in the Asian qualifying tournament at the Seri Selangor Golf Club here yesterday.

They lost out on the third position by three strokes to South Korea, who will join the top two finishers New Zealand and Singapore in the Finals in China in November.

The Malaysians started the day in joint third spot with New Zealand but again faltered in the foursomes stroke play to end up with a four-day total of 278 after posting a three-over 74 in the final round yesterday.

Iain Streel and Shaaban Hussin could only manage two birdies on the fifth and 13th holes while bogeying the seventh, ninth, 10th, 16th and 18th holes.

Shaaban said they only had themselves to blame for making mistakes in the final round.

“We played well but we also made a few mistakes. It was the same in the second round when we played the foursomes as well,” he said.

“But we did our best and it was a good learning experience for me. This is my first time playing in this format and it’s quite difficult to adapt to it. Overall, it was a good experience and I learned a lot from Iain (Steel).”

For Steel, it’s five failures out of five, after four previous flops when he partnered Danny Chia.

Malaysia last qualified for the World Cup in 2001.

While Malaysia floundered, the Kiwis, on the same flight, prospered.

The Kiwis finished finished joint first with Singapore with a four-round total of 271. New Zealand were declared the winners after Singapore conceded the the playoff.

The New Zealand duo of Michael Hendry and Gareth Paddison also carded the lowest score of the day – a four under-67.

Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing and Mardan Mamat, who had led for the first three rounds, finished off with a one-over 72, to make their fifth appearance in the World Cup.

Chih Bing and Mardan, who had also partnered in the 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2009 World Cups, were delighted to represent their country again in the two-man team showpiece which will be staged from Nov 24-27.

“We came here aiming to finish in the top three ... and we did just that. It didn’t matter whether we finished first, second or third ... just as long as we qualified for the World Cup,” said Chih Bing.

“That’s why we conceded the play-off. It didn’t matter to us at this stage as we have met our target.”

South Korea, who were in fourth spot after the third round, benefited from a drop in form by the Indians, who began the day in second spot.

Kim Hyung-sung and Park Sung-joon admitted that they were lucky to have qualified for the World Cup Finals after finishing with a bogey on the last hole for a two-under 69 and a 275 total.

India needed to birdie the last hole to force a playoff but Gaganjeet Bhullar’s tee shot landed in thick rough and Lahiri struggled to chip the ball out to safety.


Link : http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2011/8/7/sports/9254169&sec=sports

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Golfer Kelly might not compete in SEA Games


KUALA LUMPUR: Fast-rising Malaysian amateur golfer Kelly Tan may not compete in the Indonesia SEA Games later in November.

The 18-year-old Kelly, who won a bronze medal in the 2009 Laos SEA Games and moved to Florida earlier this year to pursue her playing career, is unable to confirm her participation in this year’s edition due to the hectic schedule in the US.


Kelly Tan
“I would love to compete in this year’s SEA Games ... but I have only been in the US for six months now and my schedule is quite tight as I am competing in the amateur tour there,” said Kelly.

Her decision to relocate to the US has certainly paid off as she has won three out of seven amateur tournaments. She finished as runner-up in another three. She won the Hurricane Junior Tour, Leadbetter Tour and the American Junior Golf tournament before going on to win her maiden international title – the Mazda Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open last month.

Kelly, who received the sponsor’s invitation for the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia (Oct 13-16), is setting high standards for herself – with a top-10 finish in mind.

Last year, the unheralded Kelly finished in 32nd spot to become the best-placed Malaysian golfer in a strong field.

This time, she aims to do even better.

“I will be trying my best to finish in the top 10 and become the best-placed Malaysian but the competition this year will be tougher,” said Kelly.

“This year, the format will be played over the full 72 holes over four days and, with so many world class players, it will be no easy feat.

“There is also Jean Chua (Malaysia’s professional golfer) and she will pose the biggest challenge to me finishing as the top-placed Malaysian golfer. All I can do is practise hard and just do my best when the time comes.”

Yesterday, Kelly attended a coaching clinic conducted by top American golfers – Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis – for the girls of the Sime Darby Development Programme at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC).

Kelly will head back to Florida at the end of this month to resume training.


Link : http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2011/8/6/sports/9248927&sec=sports

SAUJANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB READY TO HOST THIS YEAR'S 100PLUS MALAYSIAN JUNIOR OPEN 2011



100Plus Malaysian Junior Open 2011 will be held at Saujana Golf & Country Club from September 13-15.

The Championship is open to boys and girls who are between 12 to 18 years old with handicap index of 11.7 and below for boys and 15.8 and below for girls. The entry fee is RM100.00 per person which shall include breakfast and lunch over three days.

Players shall walk at all the stipulated rounds though 2 flight assistants will be provided to carry the golf bags. Player has to pay RM57.50 per player for the flight assistant. The flight assistant fee of RM115.00 (for 2 days) will be collected in advance. The balance will be collected from those who make the cut.

Last year, the tournament was won by Miguel Tabuena and Sarah Ababa from the Philippines for the boy and girl category respectively.

For more details, please click the following files:

ENTRY FORM : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/files/100Plus%20-2011%20Entry%20Form.pdf

TOURNAMENT CONDITION : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/files/100Plus%202011-Tournament%20Condition.pdf

FACT SHEET : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/files/100Plus%202011-%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

ACCOMMODATION BOOKING FORM : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/files/100Plus%20-2011%20Accomodation%20Form.pdf


Send Entry Form to:

CLUB CAPTAIN/MANAGER Malaysian Golf Association
No. 14, Jalan 4/76C, 55100 K.Lumpur
Tel : +603 9283 7300
Fax: +603 9282 9300 , +603 9283 5300
Email:bambang@mgaonline.com.my

ENTRIES CLOSE: 12th AUGUST 2011


LINK : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/articledetail.asp?id=3200

Friday, August 5, 2011

THE ROYAL SELANGOR GOLF CLUB SET TO HOST THE 2011 FALDO SERIES MALAYSIA CHAMPIONSHIP


The Malaysian Golf Association announced today that the oldest surviving golf club in Malaysia, the prestigious Royal Selangor Golf Club will host the sixth edition of the Faldo Series Malaysia Championship from October 18-20.

Following last year's event in Perangsang Templer Golf Club, the Faldo Series heads to the Royal Selangor Golf Club, located at the heart of the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, where a strong field of over 80 talented golfers aged 12 to 21 are expected to compete for a place in the sixth Faldo Series Asia Grand Final in China next year.

Played over 54 holes, the mixed field in Malaysia will be divided into five age categories, three for boys (Under-21, Under-18 and Under-16) and two for girls (Under-21 and Under-16), and the winner of each category will qualify for the Grand Final on the Faldo Course at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen. This year, the Faldo Series Malaysia Championship has been included in the R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking which ranks the world's top amateurs and juniors.

Underwritten by Faldo himself, the Faldo Series Asia is supported by major partners ISPS, Mission Hills and The R&A as well as official golf wear partner Alpine Creations. It is also endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation (APGC).

Further to the success of the Faldo Series Europe, launched in 1996, the Faldo Series Asia was established in 2006 to help develop the region's next generation of champions.

Over 30 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in more than 25 countries across the UK, Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia and former winners include Rory McIlroy, Nick Dougherty, Marc Warren, Yani Tseng, Melissa Reid and Florentyna Parker, all of whom have since won on Tour.

The 2010/2011 Faldo Series Asia schedule features a record 17 tournaments in 12 different countries including six in mainland China plus others in The Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Bahrain, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Thailand.

For details on entry into the fifth Faldo Series Malaysia Championship at the Royal Selangor Golf Club from October 18-20, please email umie@mgaonline.com.my. For more information on the Faldo Series visit www.nickfaldo.com or follow the Faldo Series on Facebook.

Entry Form : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/files/FALDO%20SERIES%20-%20ENTRY%20FORM.pdf

Criteria : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/files/FALDO%20SERIES%20-%20CRITERIA.pdf

Tournament Condition : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/files/FALDO%20SERIES%20-%20TC.pdf


LINK : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/articledetail.asp?id=3201